San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-08-13
THE SQUIRES GHOST.

OF marble and granite, where his ghost ought
TO have rested quietly In the grave beside
him. But it didn't: at least, so great many
people were saying Every man and woman
and child in Swansdown county was at Ok
vile church that day and sat through Parson
Doolittles two hour discourse on the virtues
of the deceased, while they admired the pretty
widow, who was there, dressed in the most
becoming mourning. Although she had
turned 40, and was trife too fleshy, she was
still fair and great favorite. l said that
the squire's ghost ought to have known
better than to be roaming restlessly abroad;
perhaps the poor specter never succeeded
in getting safely under the carved granite
pile in Oxville churchyard. At any rate
there was no doubt that the apparition
of the worthy gentleman had often
been seen of late at the windows
of the rear and almost wholly unoccupied ex-
tertion Of the large mansion, especially on
moonlight nights, and sometimes just before
dusk Dan Grady, the ancient gardener, had
told Maria, the cook, in the strictest conf
dence, that on two successive evenings he had
beheld the form Of the old master himself
walking back and forth on a sort of small
gallery that opened from one Of the upper
windows on the north side Of the house. To
be sure old Dams testimony was much i'm
peached by certain black bottle in the barn,
which he pulled the cork out Of pretty often,
and we know that kitchen gossip, especially
when mixed with gin and hot water, gener-
ally flows pretty freely on all household
matters. 1t was an easy going old mansion,
even in the squire's time; everything was en-
tirely too free, as his neighbor, Judge Halby,
often told him. And it was still easier going
now, in spite Of these ghostly visits from its
dead master. Mrs. Latham's heart was far
too soft for her ever to become hard mis-
tress, although she needed to know how to
manage, as the farm and property left her
were very large and she lived there all alone.
with neither child nor relative for companion
ship. Judge Halby was her nearest neighbor,
and their farms touched, although he lived
three miles away. Still this did not prevent
him from riding over pretty often to advise
the widow about her affairs, for the Judge
was a widower and while nearer 60 than so,
was a handsome, well preserved man. His
only two children had married and settled
out west, and, like the widow, he was lone
mortal, though unlike her, perhaps, he craved
a companion. The old squire had now been
dead long time, long enough, anyway, the
judge thOught-it was exactly eighteen
months-the two farms would thrive much
better under one management, and, in short,
he had no difficulty in persuading himself that
it was clearly in order that the comely Mrs
Latham should grace the head of his table in
stead Of eating her dinner alone. The only
trouble was in persuading her.
confess to being quite at loss as to how
widowers of 60 offer themselves I'm marriage
to widows of 40, and whether the usual form
ulas of proposal and acceptance or rejection
will do duty for such occasions. Neither am
certain that the judge was positively re-
jected by Mrs Latham, although he did not
consider her answer entirely satisfactory.
This was over six months ago, and still he
was as assiduously attentive as ever, and had
lately begun to hear something about these
ghost stories, although never abiding to them
in Mrs. Latham's presence. Her maid, Mary
Mullins, was always careful to avoid the sub
ject, so that beyond few whispers here and
there it is not likely that her mistress ever
heard much about her late husbands appari-
tons But the Judge was exercised more
than ever over the danger which Mrs. La
than ran in staying all alone In that big
house, where any night she might be muir
dered in her bed or have her barns burned
down by tramps.
This was November, and it was April when
she had finally told him, "with tears in her
eyes, too, d-n it." he muttered to himself, as
he turned his horses head toward Oakfeld,
"that out of respect to the squirrels memory
she should ever retain his name"
"What bosh that Is, any way. No finer
man ever married three finer women in this
county than Josiah Latham, but he was 90
when he died, and why under the canopy
should a young creature like her sacrifice her
self to her husbands memory, just as if she was
any heather HindOo woman who thinks she
must roast herself to a cinder because her
husband has finished his trip7" And the
Judge whipped up his white footed mare and
drove home in deep disgust
DO not know your ambition" said the
Infatuated man, "that while you laugh at me,
you are seeking to be madame la comtessel
What will you give me for this letter. To
me whom you have nearly killed! l will
leave instruction that lettre de faire part
shall be sent to you of my death, and then
you will know l cursed you on my death
bed"
The girl now hid her face in her hands and
cried bitterly, murmuring piteously:
spray, give me my letter. pray, give me
my letter."
A third person had come up unawares. 1t
was the Lieut.. valiant, III garrison III Jne
town Of c., the same town where Valen-
tine and her father, the Col Dubois, resided.
He carried his gun, having been shooting
rabbits on the downs, and his tall, handsome,
elastic figure, and his proud, fair face showed
to advantage in his loose sportSman's costume.
He was young officer Of much promise, hav-
ing greatly distinguished himself in the Ton
quin war, and having escaped with a serious
wound that had proved so deep and so nearly
fatal that the regimental doctor warned him
that any violent excitement might make it
open afresh and prove fatal He was a great
fayorite with the Col Dubois, who looked
upon him as a young hero.
"What does this meant" he asked, angrily.
at is only a coward who would brighten II
woman" he cried, his fair complexion flush
ing mile Valentine let me claim this letter.
l am here to help you'll"
The devotion in the manly, harmonious
tones was unmistakable, but who could help
loving this adorable creaturel
"This is then, another of your lovers7 Ma
foil pity the comte," cried her companion,
fEIiously.
His rage had reached its paroKysm, and, in
a moment of madness, he seized the lieuten-
ants overwhelmingly loaded-pOinted it
to his bead and the next moment fell down at
the girls feet.
She screamed, and would have thrown her
self into the sea, but the young man held her